Books by John Prendergast

Blog Posts in Conflict Minerals

Unlike in the electronics industry, where tech giants Intel and HP have established themselves as industry leaders in the effort to source 3TG responsibly, the automotive industry has largely lacked a conflict-free champion. Lately, however, Ford has taken steps to distinguish itself as a potential catalyst for industry-wide change. Though much more work must be done to bring the conflict-free initiative to the automotive industry, Ford’s Sustainability Report 2013/2014 is a step in the right direction.

Two new developments are happening this week on conflict minerals. First, Intel launched a major new web hub to spread awareness about the issue of conflict minerals and to help move solutions forward. Meanwhile, Enough introduced a new consumer action to demand that electronics and other companies work to build fully conflict-free products and source clean minerals from Congo.

On March 5, 2014, the European Commission released its long-awaited responsible trading strategy for minerals from conflict zones. The Regulation – basically a draft law – would establish a system that is fundamentally different from the approach taken by the U.S. Dodd-Frank Act and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) rule. Business & human rights experts, namely the architect of the U.N. Guiding Principles (UNGPs), John Ruggie, also expressed concern with regards to the non-binding character of the due diligence exercise envisaged by the E.U.

This is the first in a blog series about issues currently perpetuating the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the conflict minerals trade, sexual violence, and child soldier recruitment. Although many Congolese are facing incredibly difficult situations, there are local civil society groups taking action and creating avenues for sustainable peace. In this blog series, I will discuss each issue and give examples of organizations making positive changes.